Coffeepot



June 10, 1941 R. T. CAMERON I COFFEEPOT Filed June 4, 1946 IIIIII/I/I Patented June 19, 1941 Wit id? FFEQE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for brewing coffee in the manner known as French or drip cofiee. The present invention is chiefly concerned in the provision of an apparatus or device whereby the leaching water may be passed through the ground coffee a number of times by inverting the device and can be poured off after each filtration to suit the tastes of different individuals.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a coffee brewing device as above mentioned which, after each filtration or leaching operation the apparatus, may be placed over a heating element to warm the brew and is provided with means to permit the escape of steam and vapors but which will seal or close the apparatus in such manner as will prevent its contents from spilling or flowing out when the apparatus is inverted or reversed to its several positions.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a coffee brewing device of the above stated character having very simple and practical features of construction which can be readily assembled or disassembled, even at a dining table without confusion or difiiculty, the apparatus chiefly consisting of two similar vessels of any suitable material and of coifee pot or pitcher formation releasably connected together by a coffee containing cartridge, which latter is likewi e readily removable.

With the above general objects or the invention stated, other objects and features of the invention will appear as the specification proceeds and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, which shows the preferred embodiznents of the invention as at present devised;

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through the coffee making apparatus constructed in accordance with one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the cofiee apparatus constructed in accordance with another form of the invention with parts broken away to illustrate construction; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a modified form of the cofiee container.

Concerning the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1, the coffee brewing device consists of two pitcher-like receptacles Ill and Mia, preferably of similar or identical construction, one placed upon the other in inverted position and each having a reduced neck portion H and Ha into which will frictionally fit the sleeve l2, which forms the side walls of a coifee containing compartment. Stops l3 may be provided on the inner end of the reduced neck portions 1 l and I la against which the adjacent ends of the coffee containing receptacle l2 may abut. Each neck portion is preferably of the same dimension so that they may be brought into contacting engagemerit as shown when the vessels are in assembled position. Also each of the pitchers or vessels iii and its are provided with a handle l4 and Mia at their neck portions, and are so arranged and disposed that when the vessels it] and Ilia are connected together and in the positions shown in Figure 1, these handles M and Mia will be in juxta associated position and provide a single handle for the assembled device for its easy manipulation. The handles Hi and may be attached to the vessels in any suitable manner but are here shown as being secured to bands 5 and Eta which embrace the neck portions II and l la, respectively.

In order to provide for easy pouring of the brewed product, each of the vessels It and Ida have their material deformed to provide lips l5 and led, these pouring lips being closed, when the vessels are in their assembled positions, as shown in the drawing, by the sleeve 12 of the coffee container.

The corfee container is completed by foraminated end members 52a and 52b disposed across the ends respectively of the sleeve 82. These members 52a. and 42b may be strainers of any suitable type (either wire mesh or perforated plates) for permitting the filtration of the leaching water therethrough while retaining the coffee grounds in the coffee container. It is also proposed that the size of the openings in the foraminated member may be of such size as desired for any particular grind of the coffee and it is proposed to furnish several of these members of different sized openings with each brewing apparatus. These fora-minated members are preferably detachably secured to the sleeve rnernber l2 and to at end, in the form shown in the drawing, each is provided. with an annular flange I! dimensioned to frictionally fit the interior end portions of the sleeve and may be additionally provided with bayonet slots l8 and E! to receive a suitable projection or indentation I 9 and l to on the sleeve i2. Also bale handle members 2i} and 20a are provided on the foraminated memhere, by which the coffee container may be inserted and removed from position as well as enabling ready separation of the foraminated members from the sleeve I2. In order to insure against accidental separation of the vessels Ill and 2 during use, a suitable fastening means may be provided and in the present instance is shown as consisting of a slip ring 2i which will slidably and fitteclly embrace the handle portions l4 and Ma. when brought together as shown in Figure l.

In order to permit the satisfactory operation of the device under all conditions the vessels It! and say are each provided, preferably in the bottoms thereof, with a valve device 22 and 22a, respectively. These valves are in the form of check valves disposed within their respective vessels and each comprises a casing it having a through passage b therein extending from opposite sides of a valve chamber 0, the passage 1) opening into the interior of the vessel and exteriorally thereof. A ball valve e is disposed in the valve chamber c and is designed to seat upon the valve seats 1 and g according to the position of the brewing apparatus. Laterally extending from the valve chamber c and inwardly of the seat are lateral passages h. Thus, it will be seen that when the vessel ii] of the brewing device is lowermost the ball valve e of the valve device 22 will be seated upon its seat 1 and prevent the passage of liquid therefrom and the ball valve e of valve device 2211 of the vessel a will be seated on its seat g, thus opening the passage b to the lateral openings 71,, allowing steam and vapors, which may be produced during the heating of the brewed coffee, to escape. When the vessel 19a, is reversed to lowermost position, the ball valves e of the valve devices 22 and 22a. will assume reverse positions as will be clearly understood.

As shown in Figure 3, when it is desired to use filter cloths instead of the foraminated members [2a and I22) the sleeve member I2 (corresponding to the sleeve member l2 in Figure 1) may have its inner ends off-set inwardly to form shoulders 23 so that the cloths 24 and 24a may be stretched over the ends and about the shoulders, a clamping wire or band 25 slipped over the offset ends to bind the cloth in place.

In Figure 2 a modified form of the invention is shown, which modification resides in both of the vessels 25 and 260. (corresponding respectively to the vessels ii! and Mia) being provided with pouring spouts 21 and 21a beyond the position of the coffee container. In this form of the invention the valve devices 22 and 22a are not necessary but, in their stead, is provided a stopper 28 which may be alternately fitted into the ends of the spout 21 or 21a during the reversing manipulation of the brewing device. For instance, assuming that coffee has been placed in the coffee container and water in the then lowermost vessel 2611, the stopper 28 is inserted in the end of the spout 21a. The brewing device is then inverted to place the vessel 26a. uppermost and the vessel 26 lowermost, as shown in the drawing. After the water passes from Vessel 26a to the vessel 25, such portion of the brewed liquid as desired may be poured from the spout 21 of the vessel 28. However, should it be desired to pass the remainder of the brewed liquid through the coffee grounds in order to obtain a stronger brew, the stopper 28 is removed from the spout 21a of the vessel 25a and placed in the end of the spout 2'! of the vessel 25. The brewing device is then inverted to place the vessel 25a lowermost.

Drain conduits 29 and 29a are provided between the spout and the interior of their respective vessels so that any liquid remaining in the spouts when in inverted position will drain into their vessels, thus avoiding any dripping of the liquid when the stopper 28 is removed from a vessel in inverted position. It is also obvious that if the liquid is to be heated in the form of the device shown in Figure 2, the valves 22 and 22a do not have to be provided as the steam and vapors will pass through the open spout 21 or 21a. In all other respects the form of the invention shown in Figure 2 is the same as shown in Figure 1 and bears like numerals and references.

Having thus decribed the invention and the form in which it is at present preferred, it is to be understood that the invention is only to be limited by the scope of the appended claims,

What is claimed is:

1. In an invertible drip coffee brewing apparatus for obtaining one or more leachings of the ground coffee, two similar and separable vessels each having an opened end, a coffee container having foraminated ends and having opposite end portions detachably and fittedly inserted into the opened ends of said vessels, respectively, and connecting the latter together with one above the other and in inverted position, the open ends of said vessels having the openings therein formed and dimensioned to slidably and frictionally receive therein opposite ends of the coffee container, respectively, and pouring means formed at the open end portions of each vessel and closed by the coffee container when in assembled position.

2. In an invertible drip coffee brewing apparatus for obtaining one or more leachings of the ground coffee, two similar and separable vessels each having an opened end, a coffee container having foraminated ends and having opposite end portions detachably inserted into the opened ends of said vessels, respectively, and telescopingly connecting the latter together with one above the other and in inverted position, each vessel having at its opened end portion a laterally extending handle with a flat side and arranged to cooperate, when the vessels are connected together, to lie in juxtaposition with their fiat sides contiguous to form a single handle to be grasped for the apparatus.

3. In an invertible drip coffee brewing apparatus for obtaining one or more leachings of the ground coffee, two similar and separable vessels each having an opened end, a coffee container having foraminated ends and having opposite end portions detachably inserted into the opened ends of said vessels, respectively, and telescopingly connecting the latter together with one above the other and in inverted position, each vessel having at its opened end portion a laterally extending handle with a flat side and arranged to cooperate, when the vessels are connected together, to lie in juxtaposition with their flat sides contiguous to form a single handle to be grasped for the apparatus, and means for fastening said handle together to prevent separation of the vessels.

4. In an invertible drip coffee brewing apparatus for obtaining one or more leachings of the ground coffee, two similar and separable vessels each having an opened end, a coffee container having foraminated ends and having opposite end portions detachably and fittedly inserted into the opened ends of said vessels, respectively, and connecting the latter together with one above the other and in inverted position the open ends of said vessels having the openings therein formed and dimensioned to slidably and frictionally receive opposite ends of the coffee container therein, respectively, and allowing said ends of said vessels to be brought into contacting engagement for enclosing the coffee container, a pouring lip formed at an edge portion of the opened end of each vessel and closed by the coffee container when in assembled position.-

ROBERT T. CAMERON. 

